"  At  present  the  most  valuable  gift  which  can  be  bestowed  on  women,  is 
something  to  do,  which  they  can  do  well  and  worthily,  and  thereby  maintain 
themselves."— James  A.  Garfield. 


CATALOGUE  <AWD  Ct%CULA% 

 OF  THE  

School  of  Industrial  Art 

 AND  

Technical  Design  for  Women. 
i  34  FIFTH  AVENUE, 

NEW  YO%K  CITY. 

IVEres.  Florence  Elizabeth  Cory,  Principal. 

—  *-  


WITH  EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  REPORT  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL,  BEFORE 
THE  UNLTED  STATES  SENATE  COMMITTEE  ON 
EDUCATION  AND  L,ABOR. 


tex  Ctbrtfi 

SEYMOUR  DURST 

FORM  OF  ^BEQUEST. 

I  give  and  bequeath  to  the  School  of  Industrial 
zArt  and  Technical  Design  for  Women  the  sum  of 

Dollars  for  the  purpose  of  said 

School 


flwwar 


"  At  present  the  most  valuable  gift  which  can  be  bestowed  on  women,  is 
something  to  do,  which  they  can  do  well  and  worthily,  and  thereby  maintain 
themselves."— James  A.  Garfield. 


CATALOGUE  -ANT)  Cl%CULA% 

 OF  THE  

School  of  Industrial  Art 

 AND  

Technical  Design  for  Women. 
\)4  FIFTH  AVENUE, 

NEW  YO\K  CITY. 

Mrs,  Florence  Elizabeth  Cory,  Principal. 




WITH  EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  REPORT  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  BEFORE 
THE  UNITED  STATES  SENATE  COMMITTEE  ON 
EDUCATION  AND  LABOR. 


SCHOOL  OF  INDUSTRIAL  ART 

AND 

TECHNICAL  DESIGN  FOR  WOMEN. 


PATRONS, 

Hon.  FRANKLIN  EDSON  (Ex-Mayor  of  the  City),        .  New  York  City. 

U.  S.  Senator  HENRY  \V.  BLAIR   New  Hampshire. 

U.  S.  Senator  WARNER  MILLER   New  York. 

U.  S.  Senator  W.  R.  McPHERSON   New  Jersey. 

Hon.  DE  WITT  C.  LITTLEJOHN   Oswego,  N.  Y. 

Hon  GEORGE  B.  SLOAN,   Oswego,  N.  Y. 

Hon.  THOMAS  S.  BRONSON,       .       .       .              .  Richmond,  Ky. 
Mr.  JOHN  S.  CLARK  (Prang  &  Co  ),             .       .       .  Hoston,  Mass. 
•Mr.  J.  S.  WARREN  (President  of  the   "American  Wall- 
paper Manufacturing  Association "),          .       .       .  New  York  City. 

Mr.  WM.  BERRI   Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  WM.  A.  HARRIS  (Editor  Carpet  Trade  and  Review),  New  York  City, 

Mr.  E.  S.  KELLOGG  (Editor  School  Journal),        .       .  New  York  City. 

Mrs.  J.  P.  SILL,   Cooperstown,  N.  Y. 

Mr-,.  J.  C.  CROLY  ("  Jennie  June  ")   New  York  City. 

Miss  GRACE  H.  DODGE   New  York  City. 

Miss  SUSAN  HAYES  WARD,   Newark,  N.  J. 

Mr.  SHEPPARD  KNAPP,   New  York  City. 

Mr.  WM.  WHITLOCK  (Publisher  Art  Interchange),        .  New  York  City. 

Mr.  MONTAGUE  MARKS  (Editor  Art  Amateur),         .  New  York  City. 

Mr.  JOHN  CLARK  HOWE   St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Dr.  A.  HAW  LEY  HEATH,   New  York  City. 

M  iss  VI RG I  NT  A  BRUSH   New  York  City. 


3 


OFFICERS  AND -INSTRUCTORS 

OF  THE 

SCHOOL  OF  INDUSTRIAL  ART  FOR  WOMEN, 


PRINCIPAL, 

MRS.  FLORENCE  ELIZABETH  CORY. 

BUSINESS  MANAGERS. 

JOHNSON  L.  HALL,  FLORENCE  ELIZABETH  GORY. 

SECRETARY, 

MISS  PAULINE  CORY. 

INSTRUCTORS — REGULAR  CLASSES. 

ELEMENTARY  CLASSES,  ....        Miss  Esther  Kline. 

Free-Hand  Drawing — Walter  Smith's  Geometrical  System. 
ADVANCED  CLASSES,       .        .        .       .  '     .         Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory. 
Industrial  Designs  for  Carpets,  Oil  Cloths,  Fabrics,  Wall  Paper,  etc. 

WOOD  ENGRAVING,  Miss  Charlotte  B.  Cogswell. 

MODELING  AND  SCULPTURE,      .       .  .. 

FLOWER  PAINTING  {As  applied  to  Designs),     .       .  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory. 

OIL  PAINTING,   .       .    Mrs.  Eleanor  Lansing. 

WATER-COLOR  PAINTING  

CHILDREN'S  CLASSES,  Miss  Clara  M.  Heath. 

SUPERINTENDENT  OF  WORK  ROOMS, 

MRS.  FLORENCE  ELIZABETH  CORY. 

MANAGER  DEPARTMENT  FOR  HOME  STUDY, 

MRS.  FLORENCE  ELIZABETH  CORY. 

MANAGER  HOME  DECORATION  DEPARTMENT, 

MRS.  FLORENCE  ELIZABETH  CORY. 
4 


Practical  Working  Designs  made  by  Pupils  of  the  School, 
now  on  Exhibition  in  the  Institute. 


CARPETS. 

Class  A. — Body  Brussels  Sketches. 

Class  B. — Moquette  Sketches. 

Class  C. — Axminster  Sketches. 

Class  D. — Tapestry  Sketches. 

Class  E. — Ingrain  Sketches. 

Class  F. — Body  Brussels  Working  Design. 

Class  G. — Tapestry  Working  Design. 

Class  H. — Ingrain  Working  Designs.* 

Class  J. — Ingrain  Working  Designs  for  Art  Squares 

Class  K. — Working  Designs  for  Smyrna  Rugs. 


OIL  CLOTHS. 

•Sketches  for  Line  Oil  Cloths. 
■Working  Designs  for  Pin  Oil  Cloths. 
Sketches  for  Linoleums. 
-Working  Designs  for  Tiles. 
-Working  Design  for  Table  Oil  Cloth 


WALL  PAPERS. 

Class  A. — Working  Designs  for  Wall  Papers  and  Borders. 

Class  B. — Stencils. 

Class  C—  Ceiling  Decorations. 


*  Ingrains  are  always  put  upon  the  lines  in  red,  no  matter  what  colors  are  to  appear 
in  the  finished  fabric.  In  three-plys  scarlet  and  black  are  always  used,  although  there 
may  be  neither  scarlet  or  black  in  the  woven  goods.  A  technical  education  is  necessary 
to  a  thorough  understanding  and  appreciation  of  ingrain  designs. 


Class  A. — 
Class  B.— 
C'ass  C. — 
Class  D  — 
Class  E. — 


5 


STAINED  GLASS. 


Class  A. — Sketches  for  Windows. 

Class  B. — Sketches  for  Screens. 

Class  C. — Sketches  for  Lamps  and  Lanterns. 

Class  D. — Working  Designs  for  Stained  Glass. 


CALICO  AND  PRIN7S. 

Class  A. — Designs  for  Calico. 
Class  B.—  Designs  for  Sateens  and  Ginghams. 
Class  D. — Designs  for  Awning  Stripes. 
Class  E. — Designs  for  Cretonnes. 


CAR  VED  AND  INLAID  WOOD. 

Class  A. — Design  for  Inlaid  Panels. 
Class  B. — Design  for  Carved  Panel. 
Class  C. — Design  for  Carved  Frame. 
Class  D. — Design  for  Pyrograuver  Panels. 


PORTIERES. 

Design  for  Portieres  to  be  painted  on  bolting-cloth. 
Design  for  Embroidered  Portieres. 


EASTER  AND  CHRISTMAS  CARDS. 

Designs  for  Easter  and  Christmas  Cards  and  Valentines. 


LINEN 

Class  A. — Designs  for  Table  Cloths. 
Class  B. — Designs  for  Napkins.  • 
Class  C. — Designs  for  Towel  Borders. 

Class  D. — Working  Designs  for  Red  and  White  Table  Linen. 
Class  E. — Designs  for  Handkerchief  Borders. 


6 


BOOK  CO  VERS. 


Class  A . — Designs  for  Cloth  Book  Covers. 
Class  B. — Designs  for  Em  bo  seel  Calf  Covers. 
Class  C. — Designs  for  Printed  Paper  Covers 
Class  D. — Designs  for  Lithographed  Covers. 


WORSTED  WORK. 

Design  for  Sofa  Pillow  ^Cress-stitch  Embroidery). 

FA  N  MOUNTS. 

Designs  for  Painted  Pan  Covers  (on  Silk  or  Satin). 
Designs  for  Lace  Kan  Mounts. 


LACE. 

Designs  for  Duchess  and  Thread  Lace. 

SILK. 

Class  A. — Sketches  for  Printed  Silks. 
Class  B. — Sketches  for  Silk  Hankerchiefs. 
Class  C — Sketches  for  Ribbons  and  Sashes. 
Class  D. — Working  Designs  for  Woven  Silks. 

WINDOW  SHADES. 

Working  Designs  for  Decorated  Holland  Shades. 


NOTE. — Visitors  will  please  note  the  difference  between  Sketches  and  Working 
Designs.  The  former  are  drawings  or  paintings  made  to  a  given  scale,  and  are  the  repi-e- 
sentation  in  miniature  of  the  finished  fabric  or  article.  A  Sketch  is  submitted  to  the 
manufacturer,  who  judges  as  to  its  general  arrangement,  color  and  style  ;  if  the  sketch 
pleases  him  he  then  orders  the  Working  Design,  which  is  made  the  full  size  of  the 
cloth  (sometimes  larger)  and  embraces  all  the  practicalities  and  technicalities  necessary 
to  enable  it  to  be  put  directlv  into  the  machinery  and  woven,  or  printed,  from  at  once. 
All  our  Working  Designs  a're  thoroughly  practical,  and  adapted  to  their  own  peculiar 
machinery,  and  can  be  manufactured  from  without  having  been  "  worked  over"  first  m 
the  factory.  Certain  technicalities  are  also  necessary  to  make  a  sketch  correctly,  and 
these  are  fully  observed  in  the  work  done  in  this  school  In  fact  our  work  is  all  thor- 
oughly practical,  and  therefore  remunerative. 


7 


CIRCULAR  LETTER. 

The  establishment  of  an  Institute  of  Technical  Design  for 
Women,  in  New  York,  grew  out  of  a  forceful  necessity  for  its  ex- 
istence A  realization  of  this  need  is  felt  more  and  more  keenly 
every  day,  especially  among  women  of  artistic  ability  and  cultiva- 
ted tastes,  who  are  crippled  by  an  enforced  incapacity  which  they 
see  no  way  of  overcoming. 

Thus  far  existing  schools  of  design  teach  their  pupils  the 
principles  of  design  only,  accompanying  theoretical  teaching  with 
intelligent  use  of  pencil  and  brush,  but  in  no  school  in  this  coun- 
try is  taught  the  knowledge  of  machinery  and  the  nice  technicali- 
ties of  design,  without  which  the  most  beautiful  pattern  is  value- 
less to  the  manufacturer,  and  the  disappointed  student  who 
thought  his  knowledge  all  sufficient,  is  obliged  to  seek,  after 
graduation,  the  necessary  practical  instruction  elsewhere.  The 
only  alternative  for  males  is  to  enter  a  design-room  as  an  appren- 
tice and  there  spend  months  and  not  unfrequently  years,  in  grind- 
ing colors,  laying  in  grounds,  copying,  etc  ,  before  becoming  suf- 
ficiently skilled  to  make  a  practical  original  working  design.  But 
this  alternative  has  not  been  made  available  for  women,  men 
and  boys  only  being  considered  eligible  to  this  apprenticeship. 

A  single  exception  however,  was  made  in  favor  of  Mrs.  Flor- 
ence K.  Cory.  She,  after  much  fruitless  endeavor  to  perfect  her- 
self practically  in  the  arts  of  design  in  the  various  classes  and 
schools  of  design  (not  excepting  the  highest  of  our  city),  did 
eventually  secure  admission  into  the  design-room  of  a  prominent 
carpet  manufacturer,  and  there  learned  to  make  practical  appli- 
cation of  the  principles  and  theories  which  up  to  this  period  had 
done  almost  as  much  to  bewilder  as  to  enlighten  her. 

Then,  and  not  till  then,  could  she  comprehend  the  rejection 
of  designs  by  manufacturers,  alike  tasteful  and  attractive  in  sub- 
ject, general  arrangement  and  color,  to  the  uninitiated,  desirable 
from  every  stand-point,  but  in  reality  worthless,  because  they 
could  not  be  woven. 

8 


Machinery  has  its  requirements  and  its  limitations,  all  of 
which  must  be  considered  when  making  a  design,  and  without 
the  practical  knowledge  necessary  to  do  this  an  acceptable  work- 
ing-design cannot  be  made. 

Hence  the  great  importance  of  establishing  opportunities  for 
instruction  which  will  cover  these  vital  points,  and  especially  for 
women  whose  avenues  for  lucrative  congenial  employment  are  so 
limited. 

Many  women  of  refined  taste  and  good  general  artistic  cul- 
ture, waste  their  energies  and  health  in  the  vain  endeavor  to 
make  decorations  upon  silk,  satin,  Christmas  and  Easter  cards, 
panels  and  plaques,  reasonably  profitable,  who  might  easily  be- 
come qualified  to  perfect  themselves  in  some  one  of  the  many 
forms  of  Industrial  Design,  and  thus  secure  a  steady  income  if 
only  the  opportunity  to  do  so  could  be  secured. 

Manufacturers,  too,  would  profit  by  such  an  addition  to  their 
home  resources  in  design. 

The  great  point  in  competition  in  all  trades  now  is,  unique, 
tasteful,  original  designs,  and  to  secure  them  manufacturers  not 
infrequently  exhaust  their  home  resources,  and  are  obliged  to  de- 
pend upon  the  designs  bought  at  great  expense  in  European 
markets,  which  they  do  not  see  until  purchased  and  delivered, 
and  are  then  often  found  entirely  unsuitable  for  the  special 
requirements  for  which  they  were  ordered. 

In  the  light  of  these  truths,  the  managers  of  this  School  will 
take  especial  pleasure  in  making  every  endeavor  to  extend  the 
possibilities  of  industrial  design  for  women  as  widely  as  possible, 
and  by  the  aid  of  a  well  systematized,  thorough  and  practical 
course  of  instruction,  they  are  confident  of  qualifying  a  large 
number  of  women  to  become  self-supporting  in  a  far  more  satis- 
factory manner  than  has  been  their  wont,  as  designers  or  teachers. 

Realizing  the  importance  of  being  thoroughly  well  grounded 
in  every  pursuit,  the  managers  and  instructors  will  make  special 
-endeaver  to  have  the  teachings  in  the  elementary  classes  very 
thorough  and  comprehensive. 

The  lessons  in  drawing  and  in  color  will  have  reference  to 
their  application  to  industrial  purposes  from  the  beginning,  thus 
materially  facilitating  the  ultimate  object  of  the  students. 


9 


The  support  already  given  the  school  enterprise  by  men 
prominent  in  carpet  interests,  and  in  other  industrial  arts,  is  a 
guarantee  that  the  work  is  worthy  the  serious  attention  which  it 
has  everywhere  received,  and  the  managers  feel  sure  that  their 
efforts  to  give  women  such  advantages  as  will  make  them  practi 
cally  familiar  with  the  workings  of  machinery,  the  technicalities 
of  design  as  applied  to  various  industries,  as  carpet  designing, 
wall  paper,  oil-cloth,  linoleum,  lace,  chintz,  silk,  calico,  leather, 
book  covers,  etc.,  will  be  richly  rewarded  by  seeing  them  become 
self-supporting  at  an  early  day,  fortified  by  the  fact  that  they  are 
thoroughly  prepared  for  the  new  lines  of  industry  for  which  they 
have  been  trained. 

It  takes  two  years  to  complete  the  entire  course.  The  ele- 
mentary class,  together  with  the  flower-painting  and  simple  de- 
signs (such  as  for  calico,  muslin,  stained  glass,  inlaid  woods,  jew 
elry,  etc.),  occupy  one  year's  time. 

The  advanced  classes,  with  advanced  designs  for  oil-cloth, 
linoleum,  silk,  carpets,  etc.,  require  another  year's  study.  The 
third  year  (if  a  student  chooses  to  return),  is  passed  in  the  prac- 
tice and  design  room,  where  no  regular  instruction  is  given,  but 
where  orders  are  received  and  work  done  under  the  supervision 
of  the  Principal  and  well-known  designers  for  various  industrial 
purposes,  who  have  offered  their  services  as  critics,  and  who 
give  suggestions  as  well  as  criticism  to  the  work  of  the  pupils. 
This  course  of  instruction  fits  a  pupil  to  become  a  teacher  as  well 
as  a  designer  ;  numbers  of  our  pupils  are  now  teaching  in  public 
or  private  .schools,  or  have  established  schools  of  their  own  in 
various  parts  of  the  country. 

We  are  constantly  receiving  requests  for  teachers  from  insti- 
tutions of  all  kinds,  also  from  private  classes,  and  from  ladies 
who  wish  to  be  instructed  in  their  own  homes. 

The  managers  cordially  invite  all  interested  in  the  promotion 
of  industrial  art  for  women,  to  visit  the  School,  become  familiar 
with  its  workings,  and  then  aid  the  movement  in  such  ways  as 
may  be  agreeable  and  possible. 


DRA  WINGS. 

All  drawings  made  in  the  School  are  the  property  of  the  pu- 
pil who  made  them,  with  the  exception  of  one  sheet  from  each 
set  made,  which  shall  be  retained  as  the  property  of  the  School. 
Pupils,  if  they  wish  to  keep  their  set  of  drawings  entire,  have  the 
privilege  of  duplicating  the  drawing  thus  retained. 

They  also  have  the  privilege  of  disposing  of  all  salable  de- 
signs to  manufacturers,  while  still  under  instruction  ;  several  hun- 
dreds of  dollars  were  so  earned  by  the  pupils  of  last  year,  many 
of  them  being  thus  enabled  to  wholly  or  partly  pay  their  expen- 
ses at  the  School.  A  commission  of  10  per  cent,  is  demanded  on 
all  sales,  made  by  pupils,  while  still  under  instruction  in  the 
School. 

No  drawings  can  be  removed  from  the  School  (excepting  for 
sale),  before  the  expiration  of  one  year,  when  all  but  the  one 
sheet  retained  by  the  school  may  be  taken. 

MA  TERIALS. 

All  materials  are  furnished  by  the  pupils  at  their  own  cost, 
and  can  be  purchased  at  the  School,  or  at  any  well-known  art 
store.  The  price  of  materials  for  the  elementary  classes  is  from 
$7  to  $10,  and  for  the  advanced  classes  from  $10  to  $12,  depend- 
ing upon  the  branch  of  study  pursued,  and  the  fluctuations  of 
the  market. 

ADMISSION. 

Pupils  who  have  not  become  practically  familiar  with  draw- 
ing, will  be  obliged  to  enter  the  elementary  class. 

Pupils  desiring  to  enter  the  advanced  classes  will  be  required 
to  present  specimens  of  their  work — free-hand  drawing — flowers 
from  nature,  or  conventionalized,  ornamental  figures,  or  scrolls, 
etc. 

Pupils  of  other  schools  of  design,  desiring  to  make  practical 
the  theories  there  learned,  will  be  admitted  to  the  finishing  class- 
es at  once. 

The  managers  of  the  School  do  not  furnish  work  to  the  pupils, 

// 


but  use  their  influence  —  which  is  considerable  —  in  procuring 
it  from  manufacturers. 

TERMS,  PA  YABLE  IN  AD  VANCE. 

Elementary  class,  each  term,  $30.00 

For  the  entire  school  year,       .        .       .       .       .  60.00 

Advanced  classes,  each  term,      .....  50.00 

For  the  entire  school  year,       .....  100.00 

For  the  two  years'  course,    ...  .  150.00 

Teachers'  class,  each  term,     ......  25.00 

Summer  term,     .........  40.00 

Wood-carving,  book  covers,  ten  lessons,        .        .       .  12.00 
Separate  course  of  flower  painting,   .       .       .  .25.00 

Oil-painting,  each  term,      .       .  .  .25.00 

Water-color  painting,  each  term,     .....  25.00 

Children's  class,  each  term.       .       .  .15.00 

All  private  or  single  lessons,  per  hour,  .  .  2.00 
Lessons  in  design  by  letter,  each,  .  3.00 

Letters  of  criticism,  each,     .......  2.00 


Classes  will  be  formed,  or  single  lessons  given,  in  all  the  spe- 
cial branches  of  the  School. 

Use  of  design-room,  privilege  of  receiving  orders,  sugges- 
tions, criticism,  etc  ,  after  graduation,  $8.00  per  month. 

Sittings,  easel-room,  etc.,  $5.00  per  month. 

Pupils  who  have  not  the  time  or  the  means  to  enter  the 
School  for  the  entire  term,  or  those  needing  but  a  few  lessons  to 
perfect  themselves  in  some  specialty,  may  enter  the  School  for  a 
month,  on  the  following  terms,  payable  in  advance  : 

Elementary  classes,  per  month,  ....  $15.00 
Advanced  classes,     "      "        .       .       .       .  20.  co 

Summer  classes,  ....  20.00 

For  the  benefit  of  teachers  who  are  prevented  from  attend- 
ing the  regular  classes,  a  Teachers'  Class  is  established  for  Sat- 
urday mornings,  from  9:30  until  12  o'clock.  Instructor,  Mrs. 
Florence  E.  Cory. 


T2 


Special  attention  paid  to  private  pupils  and  students  who  are 
in  the  city  for  but  a  short  time. 

There  are  two  terms  during  the  regular  school  year,  and  an 
extra  Summer  term  for  Teachers  and  others  who  cannot  attend 
the  School  during  the  Winter  months. 

CALENDAR. 


The  School  year  begins  the  first  Monday  in  October.  The 
first  term  closes  the  last  Friday  before  Christmas.  The  second 
term  begins  the  first  Monday  in  January,  and  closes  the  second 
Friday  in  April. 

The  summer  term  begins  the  first  Monday  in  May  and  ends 
the  first  Friday  in  August.  The  managers  reserve  the  right 
to  change  these  dates  when  necessary. 

Pupils  can  enter  the  School  at  any  time  and  will  be  charg- 
ed from  date  of  entrance,  although  it  is  always  best  to  enter  at  the 
beginning  of  the  term  when  possible. 

HOMES. 


There  are  a  few  rooms  in  the  school  for  rent  without  board. 
These  rooms  are  fully  furnished,  are  heated  by  steam  and  lighted 
by  gas.  Pupils  have  the  privilege  of  getting  their  own  meals  in 
their  rooms  on  small  oil-stoves.  Some  have  their  meals  sent  in 
hot  for  $3.00  per  week.  Many  go  out  for  theirs,  while  others  go 
out  to  dine,  getting  their  own  breakfasts  and  luncheons.  All 
claim  to  live  much  more  cheaply  in  this  way  than  to  regularly 
board,  besides  enjoying  certain  privileges  and  facilities  for  work 
that  outsiders  do  not  have.  The  price  of  the  rooms  is  $2.00  per 
week  with  room-mate,  or  $4.00  per  week  alone.  Pupils  must  apply 
for  rooms  early  in  the  season,  accompanying  such  application 
with  one  week's  rent  in  advance,  as  there  is  a  great  demand  for 
them. 

/? 


DEPARTMENT  OF  HOME  STUB}. 


This  department  was  inaugurated  in  1882,  and  has  proved 
highly  successful  as  a  means  of  training  designers  and  teachers. 
Instruction  is  given  by  letter  in  all  branches  taught  in  the  School 
to  those  who  cannot  enter  the  classes. 

Letters  of  instruction  {combined  with  criticism  on  the  last 
exercises  made)  are  $3.00  each,  and  are  very  explicit  even  to  the 
minutest  detail.  Just  how  many  letters  a  pupil  will  require  to 
perfect  her  in  any  chosen  branch  depends  upon  her  own  capabili- 
ties.   Generally  from  six  to  twelve  are  sufficient. 

Letters  of  criticism  merely  for  pupils  who  have  finished  the 
course  of  instruction  and  need  only  criticism  on  finished  work  be- 
fore offering  it  for  sale,  are  $2.00  each. 

With  each  letter  of  instruction  is  given  a  list  of"  materials  re- 
quired ;  these  are  all  quite  simple  for  the  first  few  lessons.  If  at 
any  time  materials  are  mentioned  that  cannot  be  procured  at 
home,  they  can  be  purchased  from  the  School  at  reasonable  rates. 
Material  for  the  entire  course  will  cost  from  seven  to  ten  dollars. 

All  exercises,  drawings  or  designs  made  after  directions 
given  in  the  letters  of  instruction  are  to  be  sent  to  the  School  for 
criticism  and  correction.  They  will  then  be  returned  to  the  pu- 
pil, together  with  the  next  lesson. 

All  mail  and  express  charges  on  designs,  goods,  samples, 
etc.,  must  be  paid  by  the  pupil. 

When  a  pupil  becomes  competent  to  make  a  good  practical 
working-design,  a  list  of  manufacturers  is  given  to  whom  the 
work  may  be  sent  for  sale,  and  for  further  orders.  Designs  are 
also  sold  at  the  School  on  commission,  10  per  cent,  being  asked  for 
on  all  sales. 

With  the  letters  of  instruction,  are  sent  samples,  diagrams, 
fabrics  examples,  etc.,  when  necessary. 

Designs  sell  for  from  $5  to  $75  each,  a  rapid  worker  can 
make  of  the  former,  two  or  three  per  day  ;  and  of  the  latter,  one 
in  a  week  or  ten  days. 

As  letter  instruction  is  individual,  a  pupil  can  begin  the  course 
at  any  time,  without  waiting  for  classes  to  form. 

It  is  utterly  impossible  to  answer  the  questions,  "  How  long 


will  it  take  me  to  learn  ?"or  "  How  soon  before  I  can  begin  to  earn 
money?"  We  do  not  know.  Knowing  nothing  whatever  of  the 
pupil's  capability,  and  previous  knowledge,  her  patience,  perse- 
verance, and  application,  how  is  it  possible  for  us  to  judge? 

The  only  way  to  decide  such  a  question  is  to  make  a  trial, 
and  would-be  pupils,  who  are  doubtful  on  these,  and  all  other 
points,  are  advised  to  send  us  $3.00  for  a  trial  lesson,  from  which 
the  pupil  can  judge  of  our  system,  and  we  of  her  ability  as  in  no 
other  zcay.  If  neither  are  satisfactory,  no  more  time  or  money 
need  be  expended  on  the  matter.  If  our  opinion  is  valued,  it  will 
always  be  given  cheerfully  as  to  the  merit  of  the  exercises  made 
after  the  instruction  given  in  this  trial  letter.  Criticism  of  the 
drawings  will  not  be  given  unless  the  course  is  continued. 

Payments  for  the  letters  may  be  sent  by  registered  letter, 
checks,  drafts,  postal  notes,  or  P.  O.  money-orders.  If  the  latter, 
they  must  be  made  out  to  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  Station  New 
York  City,  and  if  checks,  15c.  must  be  added  to  the  amount,  for 
the  New  York  Exchange. 

INQUIRIES. 

Persons  wishing  to  make  further  inquiries  in  regard  to  the 
School,  will  please  state  all  questions  clearly  and  concisely  (if  by 
letter),  and  inclose  stamp,  with  their  name  and  address  in  full. 
All  who  wish  additional  circulars  sent  friends  who  are  interested 
in  the  work  done  at  the  school,  will  please  send  name  and  address 
of  such  parties  in  full,  and  circular  will  be  immediately  forwarded 

Information  upon  all  points  connected  with  the  School  will 
be  cheerfully  given  upon  application  personally.  Those  wishing 
to  see  Mrs.  Cory  personally  will  please  call  on  Mpnday,  Wednes- 
day, or  Friday  mornings  from  9.30  A.  M.  to  12  M. 

Address  all  communications  to  the  Principal, 

Mrs.  FLORENCE  ELIZABETH  CORY, 

134  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City. 

Note. — Sets  of  gouache  colors  and  all  artist's  materials  for 
sale  at  the  School. 


'5 


Extracts  from  testimony  given  by  Mrs.  Florence  Elizabeth  Cory 
before  the  United  States  Senate  Committee  on  Education 
and  Labor,    {Complete  report  to  be  found  in 
"  Investigating  of  Senate  Committee  on  Ed- 
ucation and  Labor''  1885,  vol.  II.) 


Mrs.  Florence  Elizabeth  Cory  escorted  to  the  stand  by 
the  Hox.  Henry  W.  Blair,  of  New  Hampshire. 

MEMBERS  OF  THE  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Blair,  of  New  Hampshire,  Chairman  ; 

William  Mahone,  of  Virginia  ; 

Warner  Miller,  of  New  York  ; 

Nelson  W.  Aldrich,  of  Rhode  Island  ; 

Thomas  M.  Bowen,  of  Colorado  ; 

James  Z.  George,  of  Mississippi ; 

Wilkinson  Call,  of  Florida  ; 

James  L.  Pugh,  of  Alabama  ; 

James  B.  Groome,  of  Maryland. 

INDUSTRIAL  ART  SCHOOLS  FOR  WOMEN. 

Mrs.  Florence  Elizabeth  Cory  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

Question.    You  are  a  resident  of  this  city  ? — Answer.  Yes, 

sir. 

Q.  State  vour  employment? — A.  I  am  the  Principal  of  the 
School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women,  New  York  City,  and  I  am  a 
designer. 

Q.  State  to  the  Committee,  in  your  own  way,  the  subject- 
matter  you  have  in  your  mind  in  reference  to  your  pursuit  and 
the  School  which  you  have  established,  its  efficiency,  and  its 
present  and  prospective  usefulness  in  the  way  of  furnishing  occu- 
pation and  culture  to  women  ? — A.  Perhaps  it  would  do  as  well 
to  tell  of  my  own  experience.  Seven  years  ago  I  wished  to  be- 
come a  designer  for  carpets,  having  made  up  my  mind  to  that 

16 


effect  by  seeing  an  ugly  carpet  and  wondering  why  more  beautiful 
ones  were  not  made  ;  I  could  find  no  one  to  tell  me  where  I  could 
learn  anything  of  the  kind,  or  even  where  carpets  were  made.  I 
looked  in  the  Encyclopcedia  but  found  very  unsatisfactory  instruc- 
tion there,  telling  merely  that  carpets  were  made  in  the  United 
States,  but  not  where  they  were  made  or  how.  During  the  cen- 
tennial year,  while  looking  through  a  file  of  papers,  {Harper's 
Illustrated  Weekly')  which  was  filled  with  illustrations  of  the 
centennial  exhibits,  among  others  was  one  of  the  carpet  depart- 
ment at  the  Philadelphia  exhibition.  This  design  was  made  with 
divisions,  over  each  division  wras  the  name  "Yonkers,"  "Hart- 
ford," "Lowell,"  &c.  I  took  the  first  name,  which  happened  to 
be  Hartford,  and  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Hartford  Carpet  Companj- 
asking  if  designs  were  in  demand,  how  much  they  were  paid  for, 
how  they  were  made,  whether  one  was  restricted  in  color,  and 
where  I  could  procure  the  paper  on  which  to  make  these  designs, 
if  they  were  made  on  paper.  I  waited  two  weeks,  then  received 
an  answer,  stating  that  designs  were  in  great  demand,  that  they 
could  not  possibly  fill  the  demand  in  this  country  for  designs  for 
carpets.  (This  happened  to  be  for  carpets  alone,  not  for  an- 
other industrial  branch).  They  were  much  pleased  with  the  idea 
of  a  woman's  thinking  of  designing,  as  I  seemed  to  be  the  first 
who  had  thought  of  it.  Mr.  Martin,  the  agent  of  the  Hartford 
Company,  who  wrote  me,  said  that  "  as  women  bought  carpets  he 
thought  it  a  good  thing  for  women  to  design  them,  as  they  would 
know  best  what  women  liked."  He  sent  me  as  full  instructions 
as  he  could  by  letter,  five  designs  to  look  at,  and  several  sheets  oi 
paper.  I  made  three  or  four  designs  and  sent  to  him  (having  had 
no  instruction  in  drawing  or  painting).  They  were  returned  to 
me  as  being  imperfect,  but  Mr.  Martin  thought  with  instruction  I 
might  be  able  to  please  them,  and  advised  my  going  to  Cooper 
Institute,  in  this  city.  I  gained  admission  to  Cooper  Institute, 
came  here  to  find  they  knew  less  about  carpet  designing  than  I 
did  myself,  because  in  the  three  months  that  intervened  I  had 
been  learning  as  much  as  possible.  In  Cooper  Institute  (in  the 
Women's  Art  Department)  there  is  a  normal  class,  in  which  they 
profess  to  teach  designing.  They  do  teach  the  principles  of  design 
and  teach  them  well,  but  they  do  not  teach  praetieal  design  ;  they 


do  not  teach  it  as  applied  to  any  one  practical  purpose,  neither  do 
they  teach  it  at  any  other  school  in  this  country.  The  Institute 
of  Technology  in  Boston  comes  the  nearest  to  it.  For  instance,  at 
Cooper  Institute,  they  might  teach  a  young  lady  to  make  a  wall- 
paper design  ;  set  her  down  with  paper,  brushes  and  colors,  she 
might  make  a  beautiful  design,  but  would  not  know,  neither 
would  the  teachers,  whether  that  design  could  be  printed  by 
machinery  or  not.  She  would  not  know  how  many  colors  she 
should  use,  how  the  colors  should  fall,  the  dimensions,  or  anything 
of  the  kind,  the  teachers  do  not  know.  I  was  much  disappointed 
in  that  way,  at  not  learning  anything  really  practical. 

I  visited  the  carpet  departments  in  the  principal  stores  in 
New  York,  and  studied  carpets.  I  finally  found  in  the  carpet 
department  at  A.  T.  Stewart's,  a  book  called  the  41  Carpet  Trade 
Review,"  which  gave  me  the  information  I  wanted — that  is, 
where  carpets  where  made,  and  by  whom  they  were  made.  I 
found  a  number  of  agents  here  in  New  York  City,  most  of  them 
in  Worth  Street,  I  went  to  Worth  Street,  the  first  person  I  called 
on  was  Mr.  William  B.  Kendall,  President  of  the  Carpet  Trade 
Association  of  the  United  States,  and  agent  of  the  Bigelow  Carpet 
Company.  He  was  much  pleased  with  my  idea,  and  sent  one  of  his 
designers  to  give  me  a  lesson.  It  was  my  second  lesson  really,  old 
Mr.  Barber,  of  Auburn,  just  before  his  death,  gave  me  my  first 
lesson  in  carpets.  Mr.  Kendall  sent  me  with  a  note  to  the  head 
designer  at  the  carpet  factory  in  the  city.  There  is  only  one  fac- 
tory in  New  York,  that  is  Mr.  E.  S.  Higgins',  at  the  foot  of  West 
Forty-third  Street,  the  head  designer  kindly  offered  to  give  me  six 
weeks'  free  instruction.  I  learned  a  great  deal.  At  that  time  I  was 
still  a  pupil  at  Cooper  Union,  but  by  the  time  I  had  taken  this 
practical  instruction,  M\zy  thought  me  competent  to  teach  a  class 
at  Cooper  Union,  I  taught  a  class  of  seventeen  girls  and  women, 
which  was  the  first  of  the  kind  ever  taught  in  this  country,  and 
probably  in  the  world.  Three  years  ago,  I  taught  at  the  Ladies' 
Art  Association  rooms  on  Fourteenth  Street,  a  small  class,  hew- 
ever.  At  that  time  I  was  not  a  teacher,  did  not  profess  or  intend 
to  be.  I  was  a  designer,  and  earned  my  living  in  that  way  ;  there 
seemed  to  be  such  a  demand,  so  many  women  who  wanted  to  know 
how  to  design,  so  many  who  were  trying  to  learn  at  Cooper  Union 

18 


and  other  schools,  had  met  with  the  same  difficulties  I  had  en- 
countered,— that  is— the  instruction  was  not  practical  ;  many  of 
them  hearing  of  me,  asked  me  to  help  them.  I  presume  I  helped 
hundreds  of  women  in  three  or  four  years,  by  giving  them  in- 
struction, giving  them  hints,  teaching  them  as  well  as  I  could, 
until  there  came  so  many  I  could  not  attend  to  my  business  and 
them  too,  I  decided  to  start  a  school,  which  I  did  two  years  ago, 
classifying  the  pupils,  and  confining  them  to  regular  hours,  so  that 
I  had  leisure  for  my  other  business  and  to  teach  besides. 

Q.  Give  us  some  idea  of  the  opening  that  seems  to  you  to 
exist  in  this  direction  for  employment  for  women. — 
A.  It  is  one  of  the  best  openings  for  woman's  labor  in 
the  country.  Is  remunerative  ;  is  easy  work  ;  is  as  easy  as  for  a 
lady  to  sit  down  and  paint  for  her  own  amusement.  There  is  a 
demand  for  patterns  which  cannot  be  filled  by  the  designers  already 
in  this  country.  There  is  not  a  manufacturer  of  any  extent  but 
that  sends  abroad  for  hundreds  and  some  for  thousands  of 
dollars'  worth  of  patterns  yearly.  They  are  not  all  patterns 
that  can  be  woven  or  printed  just  as  they  are.  For  instance,  a 
wall  paper  manufacturer  when  he  sends  to  Europe  for  patterns, 
does  not  send  for  a  pattern  that  exactly  fits  his  own  machinery,  and 
they  are  not  always,  strictly  speaking,  wall-paper  patterns.  Some- 
times they  are  silk,  chintz,  cretonne,  bits  of  carpet,  anything  that 
will  give  a  good  idea  to  the  manufacturer.  After  they  are  brought 
to  this  country  the  designers  adapt  them  to  their  own  require- 
ments. Sometimes  they  will  take  a  flower  from  one  piece  of  chintz, 
a  geometrical  figure  from  a  wall-paper,  other  forms  from  other 
things  and  combine  them  all  to  make  one  design  out  of  four  or  five. 
In  that  way  they  waste  a  great  deal,  sometimes  buying  a  pattern 
for  merely  one  form  that  is  in  it  while  the  rest  is  useless.  These 
designs  are  brought  from  England,  Scotland.  France,  and  all  over 
Europe.  Manufacturers  send  men  over  there,  pay  their  expenses, 
and  pay  for  the  designs,  hundreds  and,  some  of  them,  thousands 
of  dollars  yearly.  These  designs  could  be  made  as  well  in  our 
own  country  and  by  women.  Women  will  be  as  competent,  after 
they  are  trained,  to  do  it  as  men,  some  of  them  are  as  competent 
and  more  so  than  nian}*  of  the  men  now.  It  takes  time  to  learn, 
however. 


'9 


Q.  For  what  purposes  are  patterns  and  designs  needed?  Yon 
mentioned  prints  wall-paper,  and  carpeting.  In  what  other  in- 
dustries are  they  wanted? — A.  In  this  country  carpets  of  all 
grades,  wall-papers  of  all  grades,  silk  for  dresses,  handkerchiefs 
and  ribbons,  stained- glass,  rugs,  marbles,  table-cloths,  tile,  towels, 
calicoes — everything  of  that  kind.  There  is  little  lace  manufac- 
tured and  I  think  no  lace  curta  ns,  the)7  are  talking  of  establish- 
ing a  factory  now  for  that  purpose,  there  are  embroideries,  those 
made  by  machine,  and  the  Hamburg  edgings  are  made  in  this 
country.  Furniture  chintz  (which  I  did  not  include  in  calico)  tile, 
repousse  work  in  silver,  gold,  brass  and  copper,  designs  for  furni- 
ture, gas-fixtures  almost  anything  you  look  at  that  is  ornamented 
is  made  in  this  country,  and  there  is  a  demand  for  designs.  Some 
factories  require  more  than  others. 

Q.  State  a  little  more  full)7  as  to  the  competency  of  women  to 
do  this  kind  of  work,  to  receive  the  necessary  training,  and  what 
aptitude  do  they  develop  for  actually  doing  this  work  as  well  as 
men  do  it. — A.  They  learn  readily.  I  wTould  not  hesitate  to  take 
any  young  girl  or  lady  of  average  intelligence,  and  am  sure  I  could 
teach  her  to  become  a  designer  in  two  school  years.  A  girl  having 
natural  taste  and  genius  for  this  work,  would  do  better  than  one 
who  had  not,  but  any  one  with  intelligence  can  learn  to  design, 
although  some  will  do  better  than  others.  If  they  can  under- 
stand machinery  and  its  requirements,  and  I  see  no  reason  why 
they  should  not,  they  can  learn  to  make  designs  to  meet  these  re- 
quirements. Each  kind  of  machinery  has  different  technicalities 
and  requires  a  different  kind  of  pattern  to  be  made  for  it.  Even 
in  carpets  each  grade  of  goods  must  have  a  different  kind  of 
pattern  made  in  a  different  way  and  adapted  to  the  loom  which 
will  weave  that  grade  of  goods,  whatever  it  may  be. 

Q.  How  many  have  you  instructed  these  two  years,  and  be- 
tween what  ages? — A.  Two  years  ago  I  opened  school  with  2 
pupils  ;  at  the  end  of  the  third  week  I  had  5  and  at  the  end  of  the 
school-year  41  pupils.  The  second  year  I  opened  the  school  with 
38  and  closed  with  75  pupils  Then  I  presume  in  the  two  years  I 
have  had  20  or  30  private  pupils  who  were  not  regular  students  at 
the  school.  Add  to  this  15  or  20  whom  I  teach  in  their  homes  by 
letter  and  you  have  the  list  for  the  past  year.    This  year  the 


20 


school  opens  on  the  ist  of  October,  I  cannot  say  how  many  are 
coming,  I  am  receiving  letters  of  application  and  calls  daily.  I 
know  the  school  will  open  with  large  classes. 

Q.  Can  you  give  us  some  idea  as  to  the  remuneration  which 
they  command  when  they  are  fairly  well  qualified  to  be  em- 
ployed ? — A.  Yes,  I  can  tell  you  the  remuneration  men  receive, 
and  women  should  receive  as  much,  I  think  they  will  when  they 
are  regularly  employed  by  a  manufacturer.  They  receive  a  regular 
salary,  just  as  any  business  man  does,  who  is  employed  by  the  year, 
the  salaries  are  variable.  A  first-class  designer  for  body  Brussels 
will  receive  about  $4,500  or  85,000.  An  ingrain  designer  receives 
less.  I  do  not  think  a  good  ingrain  designer  could  be  employed 
for  less  than  -^2,500.  A  moquette  designer  receives  a  little  more 
than  a  body  Brussels  designer,  but  not  much.  Six  thousand  dollars 
is  a  good  salary  for  any  designer  for  any  purpose,  although  they 
have  received  more.  I  believe  one  designer  receives  as  high  as 
$10,000. 

Q.  Are  they  Americans  or  foreigners  who  have  come  here? — 
A.  Nearly  all  foreigners.  There  are  a  few  Americans,  but  the 
best  designers,  as  a  rule,  are  foreigners,  for  this  reason,  the 
foreigners  have  schools,  the  Americans  have  not.  Foreigners  are 
trained,  especially  Frenchmen.  They  have  good  free-schools 
where  any  artisan  without  pay,  can  receive  instruction  in  all 
branches  ;  here  we  have  none,  consequently,  must  suffer  for  the 
lack  of  them. 

Q.  The  salaries  which  you  have  mentioned,  of  course,  apply 
only  to  those  who  are  the  most  skillful  ? — A.  Yes.' 

Q.  The  leaders  in  the  art  ;  but  what  can  an  ordinary  designer 
earn  ? — A.  These  are  ordinary  designers.  For  instance,  take  Mr. 
Higgins'  carpet  factory  on  Forty-third  Street.  They  have  one 
head  designer,  and  under  him  anywhere  from  fourteen  to  sixteen 
men  and  boys.  The  boys  are  employed  at  the  rate  of  about  S3  a 
week  when  they  first  begin,  all  they  have  to  do  is  to  grind  colors. 
They  are  kept  grinding  colors  for  the  designers— mixing  shades. 
If  the}'  are  at  all  competent,  from  that  they  get  to  copying,  that  is, 
with  simple  patterns,  ingrains  ;  they  will  then  be  paid  from  $7  to 
$10  a  week.  From  that  to  laying  in  the  grounds,  and  finally  work 
on  the  higher  patterns;  if  they  have  taste,  by  that  time  they  should 

21 


have  picked  up  a  great  deal  from  seeing  other  designers  work,  and 
finally  become  designers  themselves,  that  is  the  only  way  in 
which  people  in  this  country  can  become  designers,  by  entering 
young  and  learning  the  business  from  what  they  can  pick  up;  de- 
signers will  not  teach  and  there  are  no  schools.  Designers  are 
afraid  to  teach  as  those  taught  might  do  better  than  they,  and 
thus  take  the  bread  out  of  their  mouths. 

Q.  Relatively,  as  shown  by  facts,  how  does  the  work  of  those 
who  have  been  educated  with  you  compare  with  that  of  other  de- 
signers?—A.  Favorably.  The  difference  is  here  :  my  method  of 
instruction  is  thoroughly  systematized.  I  begin  at  the  beginning, 
and  any  pupil  that  is  graduated  from  my  school  understands 
thoroughly  all  the  technicalities  for  all  the  fabrics.  For  instance, 
if  she  enters  the  class  for  fabrics,  she  learns  the  technicalities  of  all, 
which  is  more  than  many  male  designers  in  this  city  can  say,  even 
the  best.  Take  a  designer  in  this  city  or  in  any  of  the  carpet 
factories,  as  a  rule  he  understands  only  one  kind  of  designing. 
An  ingrain  designer  does  not  know  anything  but  ingrains.  He 
may  know  a  few  points,  but  does  not  know  thoroughly  well  the 
technicalities  and  practicalities  of  body  Brussels.  A  body  Brussels' 
designer  may  know  nothing  whatever  about  ingrains.  But  my 
pupils  can  tell  you  every  technical  part  of  every  kind  of  fabric  of 
every  quality  of  goods.  They  may  not  be  able  in  two  years,  to 
make  as  pleasing  a  design  as  a  designer  who  had  worked  for  ten, 
twenty,  or  thirty  years,  but  they  would  understand  machinery 
quite  as  well,  if  not  better.  It  requires  practice  to  make  the  de- 
signs. 

Q.  Can  you  answer  from  your  observation  this  question  : 
Whether  women  appear  to  possess  as  much  natural  aptitude  for 
this  work  as  men? — A.  Yes,  they  do  and  more.  They  have 
better  taste.    It  is  more  natural  to  them. 

Q.  You  think  that  here  is  a  field  of  industry  specially  open  to 
women?— A.  I  do  most  decidedly.  It  never  should  have  been 
occupied  by  men,  and  I  do  not  think  it  ought  to  be  any  longer 
when  women  are  trained  to  it.  It  is  pleasant  work  and  simple  ;  is 
what  a  woman  can  do  ;  and  I  do  not  see  why  men  cannot  enter 
the  harder  fields  of  labor  and  leave  the  simpler  to  women  ;  not 
that  I  am  strong  minded  at  all,  but  a  woman  certainly  has  taste 

22 


and  the  skill  required  is  no  more  than  to  paint  a  picture,  and  you 
all  concede  women  can  do  that. 

Q.  You  think  they  are  certainly  reduced  to  the  condition  with 
sharp  competition  of  being  able  to  hold  their  own? — A.  Yes,  after 
a  time  ;  not  now.  I  do  not  think  they  need  fear  us  for  four  or  five 
years  to  come.  There  are  but  few  now  ;  in  fact  I  am  the  only 
real  full. fledged  woman  designer  ;  then  there  are  my  pupils,  but 
the  school  has  only  been  opened  two  years,  and  I  do  not  profess  to 
graduate  them  before  that  length  of  time. 

Q.  Have  you  any  objection  to  stating  in  what  directions  you 
work  principally  as  a  designer  yourself  ? — A.  On  carpets,  almost 
exclusively.  I  have  made  designs  for  wall-paper  and  various 
things,  but  my  business  is  carpets. 

Q.  For  what  firms  or  establishments  do  you  work?— A.  I  am 
not  employed  by  any  one  firm.  I  make  designs  for,  and  receive 
orders  from  different  manufacturers.  I  received  within  the  last 
month  two  orders  from  England  for  patterns,  one  from  Leeds  and 
one  from  Warwick.  I  have  had  orders  from  Philadelphia,  and 
have  worked  for  quite  a  number  of  firms.  Have  sold  oil-cloth 
designs  to  Messrs.  Potter  &  Co.,  and  to  Bailey  &  Co.  Have 
worked  for  the  Bromley  Carpet  Company,  one  of  the  largest  car- 
pet firms  in  Philadelphia  I  am  not  employed  by  any  special  com- 
pany, but  sell  designs  as  I  make  them  to  whoever  wants  them  or 
will  pay  me  the  highest  price. 

O.  Have  you  any  reason  to  think  that  your  work  is  not  valued 
as  among  the  best  they  can  get  ? — A.  Last  year  one  of  the  patterns 
I  made  was  exhibited  at  Sheppard  Knapp's  as  the  handsomest 
carpet  they  had  that  year.  They  sold  as  much  of  it  as  of  any 
carpet  in  the  store  at  the  time.    It  was  one  of  the  Bromley  goods. 

Q.  Do  I  understand  you  that  this  business  opens  out  in  the 
direction  of  all  manufacturing  where  forms  of  beauty  and  of  utility 
and  adaptations  to  good  taste  are  required  ? — A.  Yes,  and  not  only 
as  applies  to  manufactures,  but  to  other  things.  For  instance,  we 
teach  in  the  school,  interior  decoration. 

O.  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ? — A.  We  teach  women  to 
understand  what  is  beautiful  and  true,  that  they  may  be  able  to 
decorate  their  homes  or  become  decorators  for  others'  homes,  to 
decorate  rooms  and  buildings,  making  them  beautiful  at  the  small- 


23 


est  possible  expense — all  the  tasteful  things  are  not  expensive  by  any 
means.  Some  of  the  most  beautiful  things  are  reasonable  in  price 
if  women  only  knew  how  to  look  for  them  and  use  them. 

Q.  Do  you  think  any  common  country  or  city  girl  could 
better  qualify  herself  for  the  duties  that  naturally  devolve  on  the 
sex  by  instruction  in  this  art  ?— A.  Yes,  she  could  in  this  way  : 
She  could  make  her  home  happier  and  more  pleasant  by  making 
it  attractive,  where  it  is  beautiful  it  is  atttactive.  The  more 
attractive  she  can  make  it,  at  the  least  expense,  the  better  it  will 
be  for  her  husband. 

Q.  I  should  think  there  was  in  that  direction  a  great  field 
where  this  sort  of  instruction  might  be  given  to  advantage,  and  I 
should  think  homes  would  be  more  likely  to  be  established  under 
these  circumstances.  What  do  you  think  of  the  cultivation  of 
this  quality  that  you  speak  of  as  an  accomplishment  to  women  as 
compared  with  music  and  painting  ?  Which  is  the  more  impor- 
tant for  women  to  have  really,  this  quality  you  speak  of  and  this 
power  to  decorate  a  home,  or  the  other  accomplishments  I  have 
mentioned? — A.  Industrial  art  by  all  means,  for  several  reasons  : 
In  the  first  place,  any  one  with  taste  would  not  care  for  a  picture 
unless  it  were  really  good,  and  there  are  few  who  can  make  really 
good  pictures.  There  are  many  who  daub,  paint  on  silk  or  satin, 
frittering  away  their  time— not  counting,  but  consuming  time. 
Half  the  money  expended  on  industrial  design  would  teach  them 
to  do  something  which  if  they  were  compelled  through  force  of 
circumstances,  they  could  turn  to  account.  When  it  comes  to 
music,  there  are  hundreds  of  thousands  already  in  the  field.  There 
is  hardly  a  house  now  but  has  a  piano,  which  is  drummed  on  to 
the  annoyance  of  the  neighbors.  This  art  is  something  new.  It 
does  not  offend  ;  even  if  you  do  not  accomplish  anything  you  do 
no  harm  by  it.  It  does  not  require  as  high  talent  to  make  a  good 
designer  as  it  would  to  make  a  good  picture-painter  ;  it  dees  not 
profess  to  be  high  art  at  all  ;  it  is  within  the  scope  of  every  in- 
telligent person. 

Q.  As  bearing  on  the  question  whether  this  culture  is  within 
the  reach  of  those  of  ordinary  means  or  those  who  may  be  actually 
dependent  on  themselves  for  a  living,  I  should  like  to  know,  in  a 
general  way,  whether  these  pupils  of  3* ours  have  been  persons  of 


H 


wealth  or  persons  of  ordinary  means,  perhaps  a  little  short  of  the 
money  that  is  necessary  to  get  on  with  in  this  world  ? — A.  As  a 
rule,  persons  of  ordinary  means  ;  some  of  them  poor,  quite  poor. 
I  have  only  had  two  or  three  pupils  that  might  be  called  wealthy, 
they  were  girls,  as  I  considered  them,  of  a  great  deal  of  intelli- 
gence, who  wanted  something  to  do  besides  frittering  away  their 
time,  who  thought  it  best  to  learn  this  art,  so  that  in  case  of  re- 
verses they  might  have  something  to  depend  upon.  If  they  never 
need  it,  certainly  they  would  have  learned  something,  and  it  is  an 
employment  and  amusement  to  them  now.  I  have  had  pupils 
who  were  well  off.  Every  pupil  was  cultivated.  I  have  never 
had  an  ignorant  pupil. 

Q.  Explain  to  the  Committee  your  method  of  instruction. — A. 
Begin  with  a  pupil  who  enters  the  school  knowing  nothing  what- 
ever of  drawing.  First,  she  is  taught  to  judge  of  distances  by 
making  lines  of  certain  length  and  judging  the  lengths  by  her 
eye.  I  say  to  the  pupils:  "Draw  a  line  three  inches  long." 
(Nothing  is  copied  in  the  school;  everything  is  drawn  either  from 
the  mind  or  from  the  object).  They  draw  this  line.  Probably  not 
one  in  the  whole  school  will  make  it  just  three  inches  long.  After 
it  is  drawn  they  test  it,  find  out  whether  the  lines  are  too  long  or 
too  short,  what  the  difference  is,  and  draw  another,  which,  more 
nearly  approximates  the  proper  size.  After  the}'  have  exercises 
of  this  sort  I  give  them  lessons  in  dictation.  I  say  :  "  Draw  a 
three-inch  square."  The  only  guide  is  the  hand  and  eye.  Per- 
haps the  next  dictation  will  be  :  "  Draw  its  diagonals  and  diam- 
eters ;  bisect  the  sides,  from  the  points  of  bisection  draw  lines," 
either  diagonal,  vertical,  or  horizontal,  anything  I  have  a  mind  to 
dictate.  So  I  go  on  from  step  to  step  until  the  first  thing  they 
know  they  have  a  design  They  did  not  know  what  it  was  to  be  ; 
it  may  be  a  chair,  a  goblet,  or  just  a  haphazard  design  that  would 
do  for  a  tile.  All  have  the  same  thing  without  seeing  each  other's 
drawings,  just  from  what  I  tell  them  to  do.  That  gives  the  idea 
of  how  to  lay  out  a  design  systematically  and  geometrically. 
Then  I  say  :  ' '  Now  make  a  design  yourselves  in  the  same  way  : 
draw  a  square,  circle,  triangle,  any  geometrical  form  you  wish  ; 
divide  it  with  any  subdivisions  you  like,  and  connect  these  points 
by  lines,  either  curved  or  straight,  and  see  what  the  result  will 


25 


be."  Before  they  know  it  they  have  made  a  design.  They 
hardly  understand  what  they  are  doing  until  they  have  made  one 
or  two.  Then  they  begin  to  see  how  it  is  that  you  lay  out  de- 
signs, and  from  that  go  on  step  by  step.  All  the  floral  forms  are 
drawn  from  nature.  I  have  flowers  in  the  school,  and  the  pupils 
draw  and  paint  them.  That  is  one  of  the  steps.  When  it  comes 
to  the  advanced  class  they  have  learned  to  make  pleasing  forms, 
and  not  only  draw  the  flower  and  paint  it  as  an  artist  would  do, 
but  resolve  it  into  its  elements  ;  that  is,  draw  the  flower  front 
view,  back  view,  front  and  back  of  leaf,  the  roots,  every  part  of 
the  flower  ;  the  more  the  better.  Then  pick  this  flower  to  pieces. 
Draw  and  color  one  petal,  draw  and  color  a  stamen  or  the  pistil ; 
cut  the  side  in  two,  and  see  what  geometrical  figure  that  is — for 
every  flower  and  every  part  of  every  flower  is  based  on  some 
geometrical  figure.  That  is  one  of  the  first  things  they  learn. 
They  also  learn  on  what  geometrical  figure  each  flower  and  leaf 
is  based.  I  hold  up  a  flower  or  leaf  and  ask  them,  "  What  figure 
would  inclose  that  best?"  whether  it  is  triangular  in  shape,  oval, 
elliptical,  or  what  it  is.  Then  this  flower,  as  I  said  before,  is  re- 
solved into  the  elements,  and  each  element  drawn  separately.  By 
the  time  they  are  through  they  understand  its  manner  of  growth 
and  everything  that  belongs  to  it,  and  have  say  from  seven  or 
eight,  up  to  twenty  or  thirty,  different  forms  derived  from  the  one 
flower.  When  they  combine  these  elements  into  a  design,  that  de- 
sign will  be  pure;  if  they  make  a  design  from  a  rose  there  will  be 
nothing  but  rose  elements  introduced;  there  will  be  the  rose  seed- 
pod,  the  thorns,  the  rose  itself,  and  all  the  various  portions;  so 
that  it  must  be  pure  throughout.  Another  thing,  they  will  never 
make  the  mistake,  after  studying  a  flower  in  this  way,  of  putting 
ivy  leaves  on  roses,  and  spring  flowers  with  those  that  bloom  in 
the  fall,  and  so  on.  They  know  every  flower  they  study  thoroughly, 
through  and  through.  They  begin  with  the  natural  plant  and  the 
natural  drawing,  and  finish  the  full-size  working-design  derived 
from  it. 

Q.  This  process  is  repeated  for  the  two  years  ? — A.  Yes.  The 
first  year  is  taught  geometrical  arrangement,  conventionalization 
of  flowers,  the  drawing  of  flowers  from  nature  and  adapting  them 
to  simple  designs,  that  is,  prints,  etc.    The  technicalities  are  sim- 


26 


pie  as  concerns  wall  paper,  chintz,  calico,  or  anything  that  is 
printed.  In  the  second  year  I  teach  the  principles  and  the  tech- 
nicalities of  machinery,  and  designing  for  all  fabrics  upon  which 
the  design  is  brought  to  the  surface  by  the  Jacquard  loom — all  de- 
signs that  are  woven  are  brought  to  the  surface  by  a  Jacquard 
loom — whether  they  are  red  and  white  table-cloths,  linen  table- 
cloths, carpets,  silks,  any  fabrics  in  which  the  design  is  brought 
to  the  surface.  There  are  three  ways  of  applying  a  pattern  to  sur- 
face. The  first  is  by  weaving  the  cloth  or  manufacturing  the  pa- 
per, whatever  it  may  be,  and  printing  the  design  on  the  surface 
after  the  surface  itself  is  finished,  as  in  calico,  in  wall-paper,  some 
kinds  of  silks,  and  other  things.  Another  way  is  by  printing  the 
threads  before  they  are  woven,  as  is  done  in  tapestry  carpets. 
Tapestry  carpet  is  formed  of  only  one  thickness  of  wool.  The 
threads  are  wound  around  a  drum  and  a  pattern  corresponding  to 
the  design  we  have  on  paper  is  printed  on  these  threads.  After- 
wards the  thread  is  put  in  the  machinery  and  woven,  and  as  it  is 
woven  the  pattern  comes  up  of  itself,  to  the  surface.  The  third 
method  is  by  taking  threads  or  yarns  of  different  colors — (that  is, 
each  thread  is  all  one  color;  it  is  not  printed  in  bands  or  strips) — 
these  different  colored  wools  are  brought  to  the  surface  in  their 
proper  place  and  form  a  pattern  by  means  of  the  Jacquard.  That 
is  the  case  with  body  Brussels,  Wiltons,  silks,  table  linens  and 
many  other  fabrics. 

O.  You  are  a  lady  of  American  birth  ? — A.  Yes;  I  was  born 
in  Syracuse,  X.  Y. 

O.  So  that  you  have  demonstrated  in  your  own  case  that  an 
American  woman  can  do  this  if  an  American  man  can? — A.  Yes; 
and  I  have  had  no  instruction  further  than  I  have  told  you. 
Everything  I  know  of  this  business  I  picked  up  myself  and  bored 
people  by  questioning  them.  I  visited  a  representative  factory, 
of  not  every  industry  in  the  United  States,  but  of  many.  When  I 
finished  the  carpets,  I  attacked  wall-papers;  when  I  finished  the 
wall-papers  I  went  to  Paterson  and  visited  the  silk  mills,  and  so 
on;  I  understand  the  machinery  thoroughly,  and  can  tell  you  all 
about  the  manufacture  of  almost  every  industry  in  the  United 
States.    There  are  very  few  that  I  cannot. 

O.  I  suppose  women  can  probably  get  so  as  to  earn  a  living 


27 


in  some  of  the  least  difficult  forms  of  work  in  a  year  ? — A.  Yes  . 
some  of  my  pupils  who  entered  the  school  last  year  found  em- 
ployment almost  at  once.  One  lady  from  Lafayette,  Ind.,  and 
one  from  Utica,  N.  Y.  The  one  from  Utica  was  a  grand-daughter 
of  a  clergyman.  They  entered  the  school  on  the  ist  of  October 
and  on  the  ist  of  January  both  got  situations  in  Mr.  Hobb's  wall- 
paper factory  in  Brooklyn,  one  as  an  original  designer,  the  other 
as  colorist,  one  at  §10  a  week  and  the  other  at  $15,  which  was 
very  good  indeed  to  begin  with.  The  youngest  pupil  I  had 
(only  14  years  old)  sold  two  designs,  one  at  $8  and  one  at  $10, 
then  she  received  a  prize  of  S20.  All  together  more  than  paid  her 
tuition.  Several  of  my  pupils  earn  money  ;  many  of  them  paid 
their  entire  expenses,  some  helped  to  pay  their  way  while  others 
did  not  make  anything,  and  never  will. 

Q.  Wherever  there  is  to  be  a  family  it  would  be  well  that  the 
wife  should  have  this  same  instruction? — A.  Yes,  sir;  it  would 
be  a  great  benefit  if  the  women  of  the  country  knew  more  about 
it — beneficial  to  the  country  and  to  the  people.  I  am  already- 
giving  instruction  in  this  art  by  letter,  to  over  sixty  women 
throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada.  You  would  be  sur- 
prised at  the  ease  with  which  they  learn  by  correspondence,  and 
at  the  proficiency  they  display.  It  would  bring  many  dollars 
into  the  country  that  now  are  expended  abroad.  There  is  no 
reason  why  all  this  money  could  not  be  made  by  people  at  home, 
and  by  women  as  well  as  men.  Certainly,  full  grown,  intelligent 
women  ought  to  do  as  well  as  boys.  Boys  are  taken  in  the  fac- 
tories when  they  are  13,  14  or  15  years  of  age,  just  common  boys, 
not  particularly  cultivated  ;  wrorkingmen's  and  artisan's  sons  who 
have  a  common-school  education,  some  of  them  hardly  any. 
Some  learn  to  be  designers,  others  do  not.  Women  ought  to  do 
as  well.  They  earn  their  living.  They  do  not  get  as  high  salarv 
as  if  they  understood  more  about  the  business. 

Q.  Is  there  any  other  matter  that  occurs  to  you  that  you 
would  like  to  state  ?— A.  You  asked  me  something  about  the  ex- 
pense of  learning.  I  cannot  tell  you  anything  excepting  as  re- 
gards my  own  school  ;  no  one  will  teach  elsewhere.  A  designer 
will  not  teach  at  any  price.  Manufacturers  will  not  allow  their 
designers  to  teach  in  the  first  place,  and  the  designers  would  not. 


2S 


do  it  if  the}-  were  allowed  :  there  are  no  practical  schools  with  the 
exception  of  rny  own. 

Q.  The  designers  are  as  bad  as  the  Trades-Unions  in  that  re- 
spect?— A.  They  are  certainly.  In  my  school  there  are  two  terms 
throughout  the  school  year.  In  the  elementary  class  the  terms 
are  $30  a  term,  or  $6q  for  the  entire  year.  In  the  advanced  class 
the  terms  are  $50  a  term,  or  gioo  for  the  entire  year.  The  terms 
were  put  down  as  low  as  they  could  be  and  cover  expenses,  from 
the  fact  that  girls  and  women  who  came  here  to  learn  cannot 
afford  to  pay  high  prices  ;  if  the}*  could,  it  would  not  be  neces- 
sary for  them  to  learn  this  branch  of  industry  ;  as  they  have  to 
learn  to  earn  their  living  the  terms  were  made  as  low  as  possible. 

Q.  Instruction  is  given  by  the  blackboard  very  largely,  I  sup- 
pose ? — A.  Yes  ;  instruction  is  given  entirely  by  lectures.  I  have 
a  small  platform  and  give  a  lecture.  If  the  class  has  had  a  lec- 
ture before  I  tell  them  what  my  lecture  will  be  this  time,  I  say, 
"  My  next  lecture  will  be  about  ingrains."  I  give  a  lecture  on 
ingrains  telling  the  pupils  all  about  the  machinery,  illustrating  it 
on  the  blackboard  as  I  go,  giving  all  the  requirements  to  make 
the  design,  just  how  to  do  it  to  the  minutest  particular.  I  leave 
■nothing  undescribed,  and  illustrate  what  I  say  by  designs  already 
made  by  good  designers,  so  that  they  can  see  exactly — with  the 
illustration  I  make  on  the  board — what  is  required.  My  lecture 
lasts  anywhere  from  twenty  minutes  to  an  hour,  depending  on  the 
subject.  Some  are  much  more  lengthily  described  than  others.  I 
only  give  one  kind  of  a  fabric  or  one  kind  of  industry  at  a  time. 
They  pass  me  designs  made  since  the  preceding  lecture.  I  hold 
up  each  pattern  before  the  whole  school  and  criticise  it  before 
them  all,  so  that  they  may  not  only  have  the  benefit  of  their  own 
mistakes,  but  those  of  other  pupil's.  It  is  a  great  benefit.  They 
learn  as  much  by  their  mistakes  as  by  what  they  do  right.  I  crit- 
icise severely,  and  then  give  instruction  as  to  what  to  do  for  the 
next  lesson.  That  ends  the  lesson  as  far  as  I  am  concerned. 
They  can  either  make  at  home  or  at  the  school  their  designs  and 
drawings  to  bring  to  me  at  the  next  lecture. 

Q.  I  should  judge  from  your  description  that  practically  there 
would  be  hardly  any  limit  to  the  number  of  pupils  you  might  in 


29 


struct  at  the  same  time  ? — A.  Any  number,  provided  my  room 
was  large  enough  to  hold  them. 

O.  Have  you  any  idea  of  the  number  of  persons  who  might  be 
employed  in  this  work  of  designing  ? — A.  A  slight  idea,  I  can- 
not tell  exactly  ;  it  would  need  statistics  for  that.  As  I  said  be- 
fore there  are  75  to  100  carpet  factories  in  this  country.  Some  of 
these  factories  employ  only  one  or  two  designers  and  buy  many 
outside  designs;  others  employ  15  to  16;  20  would  be  a  large 
number  of  designers  for  any  one  carpet  firm.  When  you  come 
to  silk,  wall-paper  and  other  industries  it  is  about  the  same.  The 
large  wall-paper  factories  employ  about  the  same  number  of  de- 
signers that  the  large  carpet  factories  do.  There  are  hundreds  and 
hundreds  of  men  in  this  country  employed  as  designers. 

Q.  They  find  employment  in  these  large  factories? — A.  Yes, 
large  and  small  both.  The  small  factories  pay  as  good  a  salary 
to  a  designer  who  can  do  the  same  work,  only  they  do  not  require 
as  many,  for  they  get  out  a  smaller  quantity  of  goods. 

Q.  Besides  the  carpet  factories,  the  wall-paper  factories,  and 
the  silk  factories,  what  others  are  there  ? — A.  There  is  a  large  fac- 
tory on  South  Fifth  Avenue  where  they  embroider  by  machinery 
tidies  and  all  kinds  of  decorated  work,  piano-covers,  table-covers, 
and  things  of  that  kind.  They  employ  a  great  many  designers, 
and  pay  them  $25  a  week.  One  of  my  young  lady  pupils  secured 
work  from  them. 

Q.  You  think,  then,  several  thousand  persons  at  least  would 
find  employment  in  the  present  state  of  the  art  ? — A.  Yes,  indeed. 
The  furniture  trade  takes  many  designers;  to  design  for  furniture 
you  should  be  something  of  a  joiner  and  understand  carpentering, 
you  might  make  a  beautiful  design,  but  you  must  make  a  practi- 
cal working-design  as  well,  drawn  to  a  scale. 

Q.  Have  you  known  any  women  who  had  learned  that  branch 
of  the  art?*— A.  I  know  of  one  or  two  who  have  designed  succes- 
fully  for  furniture.  I  do  not  know  them  personally.  In  Chicago 
there  is  one  lady  who  has  designed  for  a  furniture  house  for  some 
time.    I  do  not  know  her  name. 


NOTE. — Please  note  that  the  foregoing  testimony  was  given  in  1884,  since  which  time 
changes  have  been  made  in  the  school,  new  schools  established,  and  old  .schools  advanced 
Therefore  some  statements,  true  when  made,  do  not  hold  good  at  the  present  time. 

30 


Address  of  Miss  Katherine  S.  Smith,  "  Historian  of  the  School  for 
1889. 

"  As  there  may  be  some  present  this  evening,  who  are  not  altogether  familiar 
with  the  modus-operandi  "  and  growth  of  the  School,  it  may  not  be  inappro- 
priate to  present  a  few  statistics  and  give  a  slight  resume  of  the  characteristic 
work  which  has  been  done,  and  is  now  being  accomplished  by  the  students  of  the 
Institution. 

When  in  the  fall  of  1 88 1,  a  class  of  five  was  instructed  by  Mrs.  Cory  in  the 
Principles  of  Design,  and  taught  to  apply  these  principles  practically  to  Industrial 
Arts,  then  was  first  established  the  organization  known  as  the  "  School  of  Indus- 
trial Art,  and  Technical  Design  for  Women,"  from  that  nucleus  sprang  the  pros- 
perous School  which  at  present  has  upon  its  Roll  of  Membership  490  names, 
correspondent  pupils  inclusive,  all  of  whom  are  striving  to  attain  a  degree  of 
proficiency  in  their  several  departments  of  practical  designing,  and  Industrial 
handi-craft,  that  will  enable  them  to  become  self-supporting.  Among  these  pupils 
are  representatives  of  every  State  and  Territory  in  the  United  States.  Many 
Canadian  cities,  and  the  Sandwich  Islands.  During  the  first  two  or  three  years 
lectures  were  given  by  prominent  artists  and  designers  to  the  students,  but  the 
classes  soon  assumed  such  proportions  there  was  insufficient  room  to  accommodate 
all  who  wished  to  avail  themselves  of  the  privilege. 

Numerous  invitations  have  been  extended  by  manufacturers  in  New  York 
and  vicinity  to  visit  their  factories,  and  prizes  amounting  to  several  hundred 
dollars  in  gold,  offered  for  various  designs.  To  aid  in  the  establishment  of  the 
School  the  following  firms  each  donated  the  sum  of  $100,  since  then  no  monetary 
assistance  has  been  received,  "  Smith  Bros.,"  through  Mr.  J.  M.  Sloan.  "  Frede- 
rick Beck  &  Co.."  through  Mr.  Allen,  "  Bigelow  Carpet  Co.,"  through  Mr.  Win, 
Kendal,  President  of  the  Carpet  Trade  Association  of  the  United  States,  "  Mr. 
John  Clark  of  Prang  &  Co.,  Boston,  and  from  Prang  &  Co.  a  set  of  Floral  plates, 
conventionally  tieated,  also  samples  of  French  Wall  Papers — just  brought  by  the 
donor — Mr.  Robert  Hobbs — from  Furope,  specimens  of  paper  from  "  Beck  &  Co.," 
"  Warren  &  Lange,"  "  Daily  &  Montague,"  and  many  retail  dealers.  Samples  of 
silks,  cottons,  and  other  textures  from  "  Claflin  &  Co."  Carpets  from  **  Sheppard 
Knapp,'  "  Hartford  Carpet  Co."  and  11  Sanford  &  Co." 

The  following  publications  are  reglarly  sent  to  the  School  by  the  publishers. 
"The  Century,"  "  Dress,"  "  Business  Woman's  Journal,"  "  Decorator  &  Hn- 
isher,"  "  China  Decorator,"  "  Carpet  Trade  Review,"  "Silk  Journal,"  "Textile 
Designer,"  "  Wall  Paper  Journal,"  "  Art  Amateur,"  "  Philadelphia  Carpet  Trade 
and  Upholsterer,"  "Art  Interchange,"  ""Woman's  Cycle,"  "Boston  Textile 
World,"  and  many  other  trade  journals. 

Various  designs  have  been  made  and  sold  to  manufacturers  since  the  establish- 
ment of  the  School;  carpets  of  all  grades,  oilcloths,  linoleums,  wall-papers, 
stained-glass,  carved  and  inlaid  wood  panels,  printed  silkolines,  drapery  silk^s, 
ribbons,  upholstery  fabrics,  portieres,  table  linen  of  all  kinds,  calicoes,  prints, 


31 


awning  stripes,  decorated  window  shades,  designs  for  lace,  fan-mounts,  book- 
covers,  china  decoration,  Christmas,  Easter  and  Menu  cards.  Not  only  have  orders 
been  filled  for  American  manufacturers,  but  there  have  been  sent  to  Leeds  and 
York,  England,  patterns  for  ingrains,  to  Carlsbad,  Austria,  designs  for  china,  to 
Dundee,  Scotland,  patterns  for  table  linen  and  towel  borders,  to  Japan  for 
printed  and  embroidered  silks. 

Many  applications  are  made  to  the  School  for  teachers  in  all  branches  of  In- 
dustrial Art,  and  letters  of  inquiry  come  in  from  all  sides  by  the  hundreds. 

Mrs.  Cory's  name  has  been  connected  with  this  work  from  the  first.  She  it 
was,  to  whom  all  credit  and  honor  due,  first  conceived  the  plan,  overcame  many, 
seemingly  insurmountable  difficulties,  by  her  untiring  energy  and  devotion,  was  the 
"  Pioneer  "  of  woman's  work  practically  applied  to  the  "  Industrial  Arts,"  in  this 
country.  An  illustration  in  her  success  of  the  old  French  proverb,  "  Vouloir  c'est 
Pouvoir." 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  PRESS. 


"  The  Woman's  Art  School  connected  with  the  Cooper  Union,  New  York, 
has  recently  received  a  new  impetus  in  the  acquisition  of  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory  as 
teacher  of  an  afternoon  class.  Mrs.  Cory  is  a  practical  carpet  designer,  and  is 
connected  with  the  designing  department  of  Messrs.  E.  S.  Higgins  &  Co." — Car- 
pet Trade  and  Revie-vt  Feb  ,  1S77. 

"  In  the  admirable  Institute  presented  to  the  City  of  New  York  by  Peter 
Cooper,  a  class  now  numbering  some  dozen  young  ladies,  under  the  instruction  of 
Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory — a  practical  designer  of  carpets — are  already  doing  very 
creditable  work." — Carpet  Trade  and  Revieiv,  May,  1S78. 

"  A  class  has  been  established  by  the  Ladies'  Art  Association  of  New  York 
City,  under  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  the  first,  and  at  present  the  only,  woman 
carpet  designer  in  this  country  " — Woman's  Journal,  1SS1. 

11  Under  the  supervision  of  Mrs.  F.  E.  Cory,  the  first  class  for  teaching  carpet 
designing  was  established  in  Cooper  Union." — Carpet  Trade  and  Review,  April, 
1881.  s 

"Mrs.  F.  E.  Cory  is  the  only  lady  carpet  designer  in  this  country." — Carpet 
Trade  and  Review,  June,  1881. 

"  The  Ladies'  Art  Association  has  undertaken  a  class  in  carpet  designing, 
taught  by  Mrs.  Cory,  who  has  pursued  this  subject  with  much  enthusiasm,  and  in 
the  face  of  many  disadvantages,  and  whose  designs  are  now  a  constant  source  of 
profit." — Art  Amateur,  June,  1881. 

"  The  outcome  is  an  emp'oyment  thoroughly  remunerative,  and  a  department 
of  carpet  designing  in  the  Ladies'  Art  Association,  taught  by  Mrs.  Florence  E. 
Cory.  This  ciass  in  carpet  designing  is  the  only  one  in  existence." — N.  Y. 
World,  June  19th,  1S81. 

"During  the  present  month  there  is  to  be  established  in  New  York  City,  a 
worthy  college  of  Industrial  Art,  to  be  known  as  the  '  Woman's  Institute  of  Tech- 
nical Design.'  The  Principal  of  the  Institute  is  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  a  skill- 
ful carpet  designer,  who  is  the  only  lady  engaged  in  producing  practical  original 
designs  for  floor-coverings  in  this  country,  perhaps  in  the  world." — .9/.  Paul  Pio- 
neer Press,  Oct.  30,  1881. 

"  The  Woman's  Institute  of  Design  is  conducted  by  its  energetic  Principal,  Mrs. 
F.  E.  Cory,  the  carpet  designer." — Carpet  Trade,  Nov.  1881. 

"  An  interesting  lecture  on  Industrial  Art  was  given  at  Steinway  Hall,  on 
Saturday  afternoon  last,  by  Mrs.  F.  E.  Cory,  Principal  of  the  'Woman's  Institute 
of  Technical  Design." — School  Journal,  Dec,  1881. 

"  The  '  Woman's  Institute  of  Technical  Design,'  under  the  charge  of  Mrs. 


33 


Cory,  now  enters  on  a  new  term.    Few  enterprises  have  had  such  a  marked 
success  at  the  outset." — School  Journal,  Jan.,  1882. 

"  '  The  Woman's  Institute  of  Technical  Design,  was  organized  in  October  last, 
by  Mrs.  F.  E.  Cory,  to  prepare  young  women  for  practical  work  in  making  artis- 
tic designs  for  wall-paper,  carpets,  etc."  —  New  York  Sun,  June  8,  1882. 

"  The  school  was  started  under  the  charge  of  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  with  Miss 
Florence  A.  Densmore  as  assistant." — N.  Y.  World,  June  8,  1882. 

"  Mrs.  Cory,  however,  will  always  have  the  satisfaction  of  being  the  first  in  the 
field,  and  by  her  own  skill  and  success,  of  having  been  the  means  of  opening 
another  door  in  addition  to  those  into  which  women  have  already  gained  admit- 
tance."— Jennie  June — in  Demoresfs  Monthly,  Oct.  1882. 

"  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  a  graduate  of  Cooper  Institute,  determined  to  open  a 
school  where  this  branch  of  industry,  hitherto  closed  to  woman,  might  be  thor- 
oughly and  systematically  taught."— Evangelist,  June  25,  1882. 

"  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory  will  open  a  school  of  Industrial  design,  October  2. 
She  is  a  lady  of  practical  ability,  and  well  qualified  for  the  work  she  has  under- 
taken,"—  Freemans'  Journal,  Cooperstown,  Aug.  8,  1882. 

"Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  realizing  the  great  want  of  good  original  designers, 
established  last  fall  a  school  of  Industrial  Design  for  Women  in  New  York  City." 
—Hornellsville,  Steuben  Co.,  N.  V.,  Aug.,  1882. 

"  Mrs.  Cory  has  long  been  known  as  a  carpet  designer  who  has  no  superior  111 
this  country,  and  she  seems  not  only  to  possess  faculty,  but  to  be  capable  of  im- 
parting her  method  of  puttingit  to  use."—  Oswego  Times,  Oct..  18,  1882.^ 

"It"  has  been  reserved  for  a  lady,  formerly  of  Syracuse,  Mrs.  F.  E.  Cory,  to 
establish  a  School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women  in  New  York  City."— Syracuse 
Courier,  Dec,  1882.  i    t  f 

"  The  Moquette  pattern,  designed  by  a  graduate  of  the  '  Woman  s  Institute  of 
Technical  Design,'  of  which  Mrs.  Cory  is  Principal,  is  proving  very  successful  ; 
Sheppard  Knapp  &  Co.  had  it  put  up."— Carpet  Trade  and  Review,  July  I.  1883. 

"  For  years  Mrs.  Corv,  who  is  a  practical  carpet  designer,  has  been  engaged  in 
this  work  of  instruction,'  and  has  now  opened  what  is  believed  to  be  the  larg- 
est class-room   for  the  study  of  practical  designing  in  this  country. "—  Truth,  Oct. 

l8"3in  1881  Mrs  Corv  established  a  School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women,  having 
^eventv-five  pupils  at  her  residence  last  year."— New  York  News.  Dec.  27,  1883. 

"  Mrs  Corv  has  engaged  in  an  enterprise  which  is  sure  to  be  of  great  service  to 
her  sisters  in  industry,  for  it  is  artistic  work  that  calls  for.  and  is  sure  of,  a  gener- 
ous compensation,"—  Kingston  Freeman,  Rondout,  N  Y. 

"Pupils  have  the  privilege  of  selling  their  work  made  while  under  instruction 
(several  hundred  dollars  were  so  earned  by  the  pupils  last  year)  "—Daily  Era, 
Lancaster,  Dec.  1883.  %  --■  ;\      .  ' 

"The  question  of  teaching  woman  in  America  the  Arts  of  Design  has  been 
solved  by  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  herself  a  practical  designer.  Mrs  Cory  is  a 
graduate  of  Cooper  Union,  and,  in  1877,  taught  in  that  Institute  the  first  class  m 
practical  carpet  designing  ever  established  for  women  in  this  country.  After  leav- 
ing Cooper    Union  Mrs.  Corv  took  a  thorough- course  of  instruction  m  practical 


34 


■design  at  Messrs.  E,  S.  Higgins'  carpet  factory  in  New  York  City.  Afterward 
she  visited  a  representative  factory  of  nearly  every  art  industry  in  the  United 
Mates,  studying  in  each  the  technicalities  of  the  machinery  and  practical  require- 
ments of  the  design  of  these  various  industries,  thus  qualifying  herself  to  be  the 
best  as  well  as  the  first  teacher  in  practical  design  for  industrial  purposes  in 
America." — Manufacturer  and  Industrial  Gazette,  Boston,  Mass. 

"  The  fir^t  Institute  of  Technical  Design,  devoted  exclusively  to  the  instruction 
of  women  it  is  claimed  in  the  world,  was  opened  in  the  City  of  New  York,  on 
October  27,  1881,  under  the  auspices  of  its  originator,  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory. 
As  the  Institute  is  now  termed,  in  its  second  year,  '  School  of  Industrial  Art  for 
Women,'  offers  to  women  the  best  facilities  for  instruction  in  carpet  designing  that 
can  be  found  in  the  Middle  States,  perhaps  in  the  Union." — Manhattan,  for 
August. 

"  'The  School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women,'  is  the  only  one  in  America  which 
possesses  a  Jacquard  carpet  loom,  by  means  of  which  application  of  the  design  to 
the  fabric  may  be  illustrated.  Many  other  things  are  needed,  however,  in  the  way 
of  apparatus,  books,  charts,  etc.  Contributions  are  therefore  solicited,  and  will  be 
thankfully  received  by  the  managers  of  the  School  :  for,  as  James  A.  Garfield 
said  :  '  At  present  the  most  valuable  gift  which  can  be  bestowed  on  women  is 
something  to  do,  which  they  can  do  well  and  worthily,  and  thereby  maintain 
themselves.'  " 

YVomkn's  Work  AT  Home. — Dear  Sir  ; — In  the  Home  Department  of  the 
Witness  is  a  letter  asking  for  woman's  work  at  home  which  will  prove  remunera- 
tive. Allow  me  to  suggest  designing  for  industrial  purposes.  For  the  past  nine 
years  I  have  been  investigating  the  subject  of  woman's  work  in  all  its  branches, 
and  have  as  yet  found  none  so  pleasant  and  profitable  as  designing  for  carpets, 
wall-paper,  calicoes,  stained-glass,  etc.,  etc.  Perhaps  many  women  will  say  :  "But 
I  cannot  design,  I  have  no  talent  for  drawing.  I  know  nothing  about  art."  To 
such  I  would  reply  :  It  does  not  require  that  talent  most  people  imagine,  nor  a 
special  knowledge  of  art.  Any  lady  of  average  intelligence  can  master  easily  the 
fundamental  rules  and  principles,  as  I  personally  know  many  who,  under  the  in- 
struction of  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  the  first  practical  woman  designer  in  the 
world,  have  succeeded  as  designers  who  knew  they  had  not  a  spark  of  talent  when 
they  entered  the  School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women.  More  than  five  years  ago 
Mrs.  Cory  established  this  School  in  the  City  of  New  York  for  the  purpose  of 
helping  girls  and  women  to  become  self-supporting.  Since  that  time  her  pupils 
have  materially  aided  themselves  at  home,  in  design-rooms,  stores,  and  as  teachers 
not  only  supporting  themselves  but  many  of  them,  others  dependent  upon  them. 
Ladies  who  from  home  duties  or  from  lack  of  means,  cannot  enter  the  school,  may 
obtain  instructions  by  letter  ;  or  should  they  have  but  a  short  time  to  devote  to  the 
study,  will  be  given  individual  instruction  and  taken  on  as  rapidly  as  their  capa- 
bilities will  admit.  I  write  this  in  no  way  as  an  advertisement  of  Mrs.  Cory  or 
her  school,  but  to  convey  information  to  many  women  who  will  be  glad  to  learn  of 
the  opportunity  to  become  self-supporting,  as  it  is  a  work  that  may  be  done  at 
home  or  abroad,  in  city  or  country.  I  know  by  personal  experience  how  hard  it  is 
for  women  to  find  work  for  which  there  is  a  market  not  crowded,  and  which  yields 


35 


even  a  fair  remuneration,  and  I  feel  that  I  cannot  speak  too  often,  or  too  publicly, 
of  this  excellent  school — excellent  in  its  instruction,  and  in  its  results. 

[We  are  much  obliged  for  the  above  suggestion,  which  we  think  is  worthy  of 
careful  consi  deration. — Editor.] — New  York  Witness,  Feb.  1886. 

Some  months  ago  in  the  pages  of  this  magazine  appeared  a  short:  account  of  the 
aims,  the  methods  and  the  results  of  the  School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women,  es- 
tablished in  New  York  by  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory.  Such  an  enterprise  is  worthy 
of  every  encouragement,  as  it  is  an  important  practical  step  in  the  training  of 
women  in  the  light  industrial  arts,  proficiency  in  which  will  afford  them  support, 
comfort  and  independence.  All  well  directed  efforts  to  throw  open  avenues  of 
profitable,  adaptable  employment  to  women  deserve  the  support  of  all  who  are  in- 
terested in  the  great  question  of  women's  work.  It  is  pleasant  to  see  that  this 
school  of  Mrs.  Cory's  has  received  the  endorsement  of  those  well  qualified  to 
express  an  opinion.  The  Women's  National  Industrial  League  at  their  meeting, 
adopted  the  following  lesolution  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Women's  National  Industrial  League  desires  to  call  public 
attention  to  the  work  which  has  been  accomplished  by  the  founder  and  managers 
of  the  School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women,  and  to  express  their  admiration  and 
esteem  for  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  who  has  devoted  herself  heroically,  and  en- 
dured years  of  toil  and  fatigue,  that  she  might,  by  her  own  personal  research  and 
labor,  obtain  the  practical  knowledge  necessary  to  enable  women  to  compete 
with  men  in  technical  education  in  art  and  design.  And  not  only  do  they  wish  to 
evince  their  esteem  for  Mrs.  Cory,  but  for  all  others  interested  in  bringing  this 
school  to  a  practical  issue,  and  the  school  itself  which  has  accomplished  so  much 
real  good.  —  Domestic  Monthly,  1883. 

It  is  not  absolutely  necessary  to  go  to  a  school  to  study  practical  design,  though 
it  would  be  best  ;  the  next  best  course  would  be  to  take  lessons  by  correspondence 
with  a  competent  instructor.  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Cory,  who  was  the  first  teacher  of 
practical  carpet  designing  in  the  City  of  New  York,  teaches  by  letter  ;  she  is  also 
very  thorough  in  wall  paper,  calico  and  cretonne  designing.  Address  a  letter  to 
her  at  the  original  School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women,  No.  120  West  Sixteenth 
St.,  New  York  City. — Notes  and  Queries  Column,  Art  Interchange,  Sept.  nth, 
1886. 


36 


G>  XS 


MRS.  FLORENCE  ELIZABETH  CORY, 


Originator  and  Founder  of  the  "  Women's  Institute  of  Technical 
Design,"    having    dissolved    the  business  partnership 
founded  in  1881  with  Florence  A.  Densmore, 
established  in  1882, 

The  School  of  Industrial  Art  and  Technical  Design 

for  Women. 

Parties  have  been  advertising  a  school  which  claims  to  be  the 
original  school,  and  to  be  of  like  n attire  with  Mrs.  Cory's. 
This  is  ?iot  so,  as  the  original  methods  of  instruction,  . 
the   original    instructors,    etc.,  etc.,  are    now  in 
The  School  of  Industrial  Art  for  Women. 


For  further  terms  and  particular  s  address 

MRS.  FLORENCE  ELIZABETH  CORY, 
134  Fifth  Avenue.  NEW  YORK  CITY,  N.  Y. 


